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May 6, 2003 at 4:49 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 13

spott

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okay, another question,

crossfeed.... does it really help? if so how much. and if it does, which crossfeed filter do your recomend? the linkwitz or another.

thanks
 
May 6, 2003 at 5:11 AM Post #2 of 13
answer: yes.

i trust you're doing the reading and are just checking back here for encouragement and clarity.

simple summary: it cuts down on headphone fatigue. y'know how you can only listen on cans for so long? this takes care of that.

recordings are generally made for playback on two speakers in a room, not separately clamped to your head. crossfeeds are a way of compensating for that.

it's only a few resistors and caps. try it. i did the adjustable linkwitz with tangent's pcb. i think it's entirely worthwhile. note, however, it's a subtle effect, hence ymmv depending on your tastes and different recordings.

i'm also really glad i did the an adjustable version so i could live with it a while and be convinced.
 
May 6, 2003 at 6:36 AM Post #3 of 13
I built a standalone Linkwitz crossfeed a couple weeks ago. (I put it in a jewelry box, about 2"x2.5". It was a bitch to wire but turned out nice.) Like ofb said, it's a subtle effect, but after listening for a couple minutes, you can tell it's definitely there. You don't lose any detail but it takes the "edge" off the music. The presentation is less aggressive, less in-your-face. The music backs off a few feet.

I recommend reading the article on Headwize for more information on what crossfeed is and what it does.
 
May 6, 2003 at 6:41 AM Post #4 of 13
I like the Linkwitz inspired crossfeed I have in my Meta.

Just know that if you build it into an amp, you may need to increase the gain of the amp.
 
May 6, 2003 at 7:38 AM Post #5 of 13
What do you mean by "backs off a few feet"? Does this mean there is a virtual front imaging? I was under the impression that the left- inhead -right clusters will more or less be spread evenly but still inside the head sound when you use crossfeed.

Thanks
 
May 6, 2003 at 8:05 AM Post #6 of 13
gino, a lot will depend on your system. a linkwitz will not create a soundstage for a system that does not already have one, but it will improve the imaging that is there.

it's very difficult to describe without using subjective terms. it's a subtle effect, but a very good one.

as others have said, i found at first i was unsure it was an improvement, and spent a fair bit of time switching it on and off. it took a while to hear everything that is "inside" the change, but after that you can definitely tell the differences. in my case it improves the accuracy and make long listening sessions much more comfortable.
 
May 6, 2003 at 3:11 PM Post #7 of 13
Quote:

Originally posted by Gino
What do you mean by "backs off a few feet"?


Those are the words that came to mind. I don't know how else to describe it. It's not imaging, it's more like a smoother presentation.
 
May 6, 2003 at 4:03 PM Post #8 of 13
Sounds very cool. Do you have any pictures?

-Chad
 
May 6, 2003 at 7:45 PM Post #9 of 13
A few pictures I just took here. They're not that detailed but you can get a sense of scale. The caps are polyester and the resistors are 1% metal film. Originally, I wanted to put the jacks on the front and some small slide switches inside, but I couldn't find good switches in time. I don't know how the case will hold up, but as you can see from the pictures, it's easy to remove. Oh, and you can also kind of see my patent-pending ground bus running across between the jacks.

I tell you what - if you're building a META on Tangent's pcb and you think you might possibly someday want crossfeed, get the crossfeed pcb as well. It'll save you a lot of trouble compared to wiring it yourself. (As I get ready to protoboard a META...)
 
May 7, 2003 at 12:03 AM Post #10 of 13
thanks, yes i was just looking for confirmation. in theory the crossfeed should make it sound better, but things rarely work in practice as well as they work in theory.


also, another question, is a well built META with a linkwitz filter better/worse/same as the headroom airhead? is there a noticeable difference between the two? and if a headphone amplifier only magnifies the sound comming from the CD player, how can it make the sound "better" if all its got to work with is the source, is it really possible to get better sound than that sound that exits the source?

thanks for all your help
 
May 7, 2003 at 12:05 AM Post #11 of 13
Quote:

is a well built META with a linkwitz filter better/worse/same as the headroom airhead?


The Meta kicks the Airhead or Toatal Airhead's ass in all respects.
smily_headphones1.gif
 
May 7, 2003 at 12:49 AM Post #12 of 13
Hey,

It depends on how you build it, you know?

I, for one, dislike any crossfeeds. The sound loses clearity. And I like stereo seperation. Sound stage? I think I get better imaging without it. ... Humm ... Am I only one? Am I genetically enhanced for headphone listening?

Another case for Tomo's X-Files, unREsolved cases.
"Mind is out there!"
confused.gif


Who knows? I may have a socket in the back my neck.
eek.gif


Tomo
 
May 7, 2003 at 1:01 AM Post #13 of 13
how about the CMOY, how does it stack up to the competition (with a linkwitz filter of course)

thanks
 

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